With college and NFL football underway, and baseball’s playoffs looming, this is a great time of year for professional sports.� Many questions loom, such as:� Will the Yankees make the playoffs?� Will Peyton Manning break his own record for touchdown passes?� Will Matt Leinart repeat as the Heisman winner?� Important questions, all of them, but none are as important as:� Where will I catch all the�games?�
Well, if you’re sick of a bag of chips and your best friend’s couch, and you happen to be in the Mile High City, here are five� suggestions for where to take in all the action.
Old Chicago
While there are numerous locations around Colorado, none is more popular among Denverites as the Market Street location, right in the heart of downtown.� Numerous televisions, flowing beer, and great food keep the raucous crowds coming back on game day.� Newcomers won’t feel out of place, as Denver transplants flock to Old Chicago to catch their former hometown teams in action.��
Known for it’s great Chicago-style pizza (hence the name), Old Chicago also has one of the state’s largest collection of beers on tap.� If you plan on coming back, go ahead and start the World Beer Tour.� If you can finish the marathon of alcohol, you’ll be rewarded with great prizes.��
One of the best features of the downtown location, however, is the shuttle to and from Invesco Field, Coors Field, and the Pepsi Center.� A great way to bypass game-day parking hassles if you actually managed to score tickets.��
ESPN Zone
Located on the 16th Street Mall in downtown Denver, this shrine to all things sporting gets mixed reviews from locals.� On the plus side, there are 150-plus televisions, so the game you wanted to see will probably be on.� The biggest gripe:� overpriced food and drink.
While ESPN Zone does boast usual sports bar fare, which brings the price complaints, they do have other things on the menu worth the extra bucks.� Try the salmon, or the infamous dessert, the Sudden Death Brownie.��
Also worth mentioning are the Zone Thrones, a man’s dream recliner with built-in speakers and unobstructed big screens to completely quench your sports thirst.
Champp’s Americana
Want to get your sports fix and whet your appetite at the same time?� Champp’s is the place for you.� An eclectic menu featuring everything from burgers and fries, made-from-scratch entrees, and carb-conscious choices makes the food the main attraction here.��
Don’t let that great food fool you, though.� Champp’s is still a sports bar at heart.� A multitude of TV’s will let you catch that game.� However, this is more of a family-oriented locale, so it’s not the best place to start a “J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets” chant.��
Another great thing about Champp’s is it’s location.� Just outside of Denver at the Aspen Grove shopping center, Champp’s is a brisk stroll away from the Light Rail, which means you can catch the game, eat, then take the train downtown for some more fun.
Sports Column
In the heart of Denver’s ballpark neighborhood, you’ll find the Sports Column.� For the most serious of sports enthusiasts, this is THE place to be on game day.� The crowd here, usually attired in jerseys and hats, can make even the most meaningless Broncos game seem like the Super Bowl.��
The menu contains usual bar favorites, and the beer is always flowing, but many people just come for the big game atmosphere the Sports Column provides.� If you can find a seat during the NFL or Stanley Cup playoffs, by all means, hang on to it.��
As much of a sports reputation this bar holds, it also attracts the singles crowd on the weekends.� It could be it’s central location in the trendy Lower Downtown area, or it’s upstairs patio that is open during the warmer months.� Also a popular stop for pre- and post-game Rockies crowds.
Blake Street Tavern
Well known in the downtown area for it’s old-style tavern atmosphere and great hot dogs, the Blake Street Tavern is popular for another reason among locals:� the Flying Dog brewery is located just next door.��
Another popular post-Rockies game stop, fans here can turn in their ticket stubs for a free Coors.��
The Blake Street Tavern is the epitome of the neighborhood bar, as it is located among many businesses along Blake Street.� Great location, great food, and great crowds are what attract the locals to this stop.
A word to the wise:� Fans in the Mile High City are very passionate about their sports, especially when it comes to football and hockey.� So tread carefully if you plan to root for an opponent of the Broncos or Avalanche.� Other than that, enjoy!
